Cannabinoids – Their Function in the Immune System

At times, the immune system can go into overdrive and begin to attack the tissues within the body. Destroying the body’s own tissues can cause a combination of different diseases such as parkinsons, crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Very little is known as to why the body would attack itself.

The endocannabinoid system within the human body has a duty in balancing the immune system. Cannabinoids help to retain the immune cell activity that attacks itself and helps to reduce inflammation that appears when immune cells behave after an injury.

People with an immune system imbalance that have reported to having medical cannabis, have said that it has either slowed down their symptoms, or alleviated their pain for the most part. However, the immune system is severely complex and it is challenging to locate the connection between the immune system or the nervous system with medical cannabis, although, many studies are still being continued.

Cannabinoid System Has a Role in Regulating Immune System

The impact of cannabimimetic drugs on the ability of immune white blood cells in bone marrow such as T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells and macrophages has been massively looked at over the last few years using human and animal paradigms including whole animal experiments as well as tissue culture networks. From this study, it can be said that these agents have low key yet complicated impacts on immune cell ability and that some of the agent activity is controlled by cannabinoid receptors conveyed on the numerous immune cell subtypes.

However, the actual role of the endogenous cannabinoid network of receptors and their corresponding cannabinoids in animal health and disease is still not clear and needs a lot of extra light shed on it’s method. More research will describe the precise structure and function of the putative immunocannabinoid system, the possible therapeutic application of these drugs in chronic disorders such as an acquired immune deficiency condition, nausea and vomiting, and multiple sclerosis, the impacts of these drugs on tumour development and induction of cell death, and the potential anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory abilities of cannabimimetic chemicals.

It is likely that the cannabinoid system, along with other neuroimmune networks, has a low key but massive role in the mediation of immunity and that this job can actually be exploited in the controlling of human disease.

Cannabinoids Have Anti Inflammatory Effect

A number of factors indicate that increased application of cannabis and cannabinoids in the United States and Canada over the coming couple of decades. Although a lot has been discovered regarding the chemistry and biology of these drugs, much more needs to be found in all areas of cannabinoid biology, including impacts on immune function.

The immune network is extremely complicated, consisting of a number of organs, cells, tissues and soluble aspects working with each other to make a plethora of impacts. This complication gives many reasons for cannabinoids to change immune function, and over the past decade or so, many of these reasons have been evaluated. From a number of studies, cannabinoids have been displayed to change innate immunity. However, from these studies, it cannot be said that cannabis smoking is the reason for serious immunodeficiency in humans. What can be said is that these agents have the ability to change immune function through both receptor- and non-receptor-regulated actions.

Clearly, additional research is needed to evaluate the actual structure and function of the putative immunocannabinoid network; the possible analgesic application of these agents in chronic infectious diseases such as HIV AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis; the immune response of these drugs on tumour development and induction of cell death; and the potential anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory abilities of cannabimimetic chemicals. It is likely that the cannabinoid system, along with other neuroimmune networks, has a low key but massive role.

Registered with the British Psychological Society, breaking the taboo on mental health issues is one of the driving forces in Jonathan's life. His background in biomedicine gives him additional understanding of the factors that work together to influence the human condition.